Various massaging devices have been proposed in the past for massaging parts of the human body, and for the massaging or working of other various surfaces. Essentially, these massaging devices can be divided into two categories, namely, those that are manually operated and those that are motorized.
Such manually operated devices typically function as an applicator of a cosmetic or other conditioning substance onto a surface. Such devices usually comprise a reservoir, which can also serve as a handle for the device, and an applicator element, wherein the applicator element includes one or more rotatably mounted balls. Such devices make it possible, by manually moving the device along a surface, thereby causing said ball(s) to roll along the surface, to simultaneously massage a surface and apply a cosmetic or other substance thereto. Typical known arrangements are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,823,777 (Goncalves) issued Apr. 25, 1989, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,326,508 (Stauffer) issued Apr. 27, 1982.
In one of the typical versions of the motorized devices there usually is a chamber and ball-equipped plate comparable to that of the manually operated devices described above, except that an electric motor rotates the plate, causing the balls to roll along the surface. Such an arrangement is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,600 (Gross) issued Aug. 22, 1989. Other devices are used for example to finish steel surfaces and are sometimes referred to as "burnishing tools". In such devices the balls are merely placed between two surfaces that are moved relative to one another, causing the balls to travel over the surface thereof.
Another typical version of the motorized device is one where the electric motor rotates each massaging element, fitted with a brush, a sponge or other appropriate material, about an axis of rotation passing through said element, causing the massaging element to massage the surface by moving past the surface. Typical known arrangements are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,526,163 (Fedders) issued July 2, 1985, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,733,634 (Golbe) issued May 22, 1973.
The disadvantage of these prior art devices is that the massaging action tends to be inadequate for proper working of a surface because the rotatable balls are merely moved along the surface, and being free to rotate, do rotate. Thus, there is only point loading on the surface, but no working of the surface. Furthermore, the motorized devices may damage the surface being worked since they are stationary unless moved along by hand, and further because the rotating elements have an inadequate ability to slip.
What is therefore desired is to provide a device for adequately working a conditioning substance on a surface. Preferably such a device could mechanically emulate a manual hand kneading action upon such a surface.